Kogi court judgment on NDC registration illegal, won’t stand – Dickson

The Nigeria Democratic Congress has said it has assembled a team of lawyers to challenge a Federal High Court ruling in Lokoja, Kogi State, that set aside its registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission, expressing confidence that the decision would be overturned.

National Leader of the party and former Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Henry Dickson, disclosed this in a statement posted on his X handle on Friday while reacting to the ruling delivered by Justice Isah Dashen.

Dickson described the court order as lacking legal merit, insisting that it was aimed at undermining the party’s foundation and shrinking Nigeria’s democratic space.

The statement reads in parts, “This morning, I, like several other leaders, officials, candidates of the NDC, and members of the public, was jolted by the order issued by the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja and presided over by Honourable Justice Isah Dashen.

“All I can say is that the order lacks legal merit and is intended to affect the foundational credibility and efforts of our party. The order is illegal and will not stand.

“We have assembled our team of lawyers, and they are taking appropriate steps to set the order aside and restore normalcy.

“I call on all members, supporters, and candidates of the NDC to remain calm and continue with their normal political activities. This is only the first test of our commitment and resilience, both of which are not in doubt.”

The former governor argued that the court order was anti-democratic and would be resisted through lawful means.

He alleged that the application leading to the judgment was filed by an unregistered association, which, according to him, was neither a registered political party nor a necessary party to the suit.

According to Dickson, the association did not apply for registration in 2025 and was not among the 171 associations that sought registration from INEC or the 21 shortlisted for registration.

He maintained that the party would pursue all available judicial remedies to overturn what he described as “a judicial anomaly.”

“We will use appropriate judicial channels to correct the judicial anomaly that occurred under the watch of Honourable Justice Dashen. He has clearly erred in law, and we will take steps to correct it,” he said.

Dickson further alleged that the legal challenge was intended to slow the party’s progress but insisted that it would not deter the NDC.

He also claimed that thousands of Nigerians registered as members of the party on Friday in solidarity following the court ruling.

The NDC was registered by INEC in December 2025.

However, the Federal High Court in Lokoja, presided over by Justice Isah Dashen, subsequently set aside the party’s registration, prompting the latest legal dispute.